Baconsthorpe Castle

Baconsthorpe castle ruins include two gatehouses, moat, walls and the remains of a building.

The Main Entrance to the Castle Photo by Anastasya Shepherd

It is almost always quiet and empty, located among the fields, with the ruins reflecting in the still waters of the moat. In good weather you can lie on warm stones, watching the water, listening to insects busy among the wildflowers and occasionally pushing the button on your camera to catch an especially beautiful reflection. The walls contain a wealth of textures, built of different rocks and overgrown with flowering plants, if you are warm and cheerful, or covered in melancholy remains of last years' growth, to suit autumnal mood.

History Baconsthorpe was a fortified manor house built in the 15th Century by the Heydon Family, who originally made their fortune through the Law profession and later in Wool. It was built without a licence to fortify and on the east side was a lake and the other sides were protected by a deep ditch. In the middle of the south wall a three-storied gatehouse was built. This was an important symbol of John Heydon's Lordship. It was also large enough to serve as a self-contained defendable residence in times of danger from his enemies. On the ground floor, there were two lodges, one housed a porter the other the chief servant. On the first floor there was a spacious suite of chambers for the family. There is a description of these rooms in the will of John Heyden's son, Sir Henry Heyden.. They are described as being luxuriously furnished with feather beds and silk curtains. The small room directly above the porch was thought to be a private chapel. On the east side there were a range of buildings in the Tudor period they were converted into a wool processing factory. the large windows providing plenty of light for the spinners and weavers who worked there. After the Civil War the house fell into ruin and today these ruins are all that remains. The curtain walls are complete and include the remains of the towers. In the middle of the south wall are the remains of a 3 storey gatehouse with a two storey projection for a drawbridge. The lake and moat still remain.

Photo by Anastasya Shepherd

There are 11 images in the above showing different views of the castle and its location

All Photos shown here are by Anastasya Shepherd

Images showing some of the nature opportunities on offer at the site.

Wild Flowers Photo by Anastasya Shepherd

Photo by Anastasya Shepherd

Further information Grid   Location: Baconsthorpe Castle, Norfolk Ceremonial County: Norfolk Grid Reference: TG119380 Map Link: StreetMap Aerial photo: Google Map Route(s):   Best Times to Visit: In the summer, when wildflowers bloom, is probably the best time to visit. I have not seen a sunset there, but it should be spectacular with the moat reflections. E-mail:   Website: English Heritage Other useful websites: Wikipedia    Biking map Nearby Locations:   Other Relevant pages:

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By: Anastasya Shepherd	Section: Castles	Key:
Page Ref: baconsthorpe	Topic: Castles	Last Updated: 02/2013

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